The Invincible Full-Moon System Chapter 1893: Wavering Loyalty

Rex felt irritated by the System’s presence.

He had been deceived.

However, this was not the moment to dwell on such vexation.

From his inventory, he retrieved all the corpses—the Godlings he had eliminated in the warehouse—and arranged them in a line directly in front of the platform. He surveyed each one, content that the majority were at least three-star Demigods, before scanning them with the System.

Prior to selecting which one to absorb, he needed to ascertain the traits these bodies possessed.

"Ah, that’s right," Rex remembered something he intended to query the System about. "Is there a cap on the number of skills or passive skills I can make permanent through the Sudden Quest? Knowing you, I doubt you wouldn’t have imposed a restriction."

<Notice: The user may only make three skills or passive skills permanent through the Sudden Quest.>

"Hmph, I had a feeling," Rex scoffed at the System.

Considering his ability to adapt to anything he absorbed, assimilating any skills etched within their flesh via the Divine Adaptation skill, the Sudden Quest reward was exceedingly generous. In theory, he could learn endlessly.

No limitations.

And the promise of such an outcome seemed too good to be true, validating his suspicion.

A minute later, the scanning of the corpses concluded.

Above each one, a list of their respective traits was displayed.

These were also divided into two categories.

Some were adaptable, while others were not.

Rex commenced reading each one meticulously, ensuring he fully comprehended the details.

However, he was soon interrupted by another notification, and upon reading it, his eyes widened dramatically.

<Notice: The Beta Enforcer, Kyran Cervantes’ loyalty is wavering.>

"What...?"

...

A peculiar atmosphere permeated the night.

Kyran could not precisely pinpoint the anomaly, but his sharp senses were on high alert, instilling a sense of unease.

He was running at his absolute fastest. Traversing diverse terrains in a blur as he made his way towards the battle site. Mana and moonlight energy augmented his velocity—yet, given the considerable distance from the Dark Elf Kingdom to the battlefield, it felt insufficient.

It would be quicker if he resorted to all fours and unleashed his beastly nature fully.

But that was not an option with Naela in his arms.

"Is it me?" Naela inquired, gazing up at the Blood Moon. "Or does the night seem to stretch on longer than it should?"

"It’s not just you," Kyran glanced upwards, clenching his jaw. "Dawn should be approaching, yet the moonlight energy in the air has not diminished. And the presence of the Blood Moon... It has not waned. Something is occurring, and I cannot identify it."

Kyran felt Naela’s fingers tighten their grip on his shoulder.

This caused his heart to race.

"Increase your speed," she commanded with a cool demeanor. "Reach there swiftly."

Despite already exerting his utmost to arrive at Verrathen Canyon as quickly as possible, he pushed himself further, venturing towards his physical limitations. He wished to convey something to Naela, but the expression on her face was one he had never witnessed before.

’Please,’ Kyran pleaded internally. ’Let this be nothing dire.’

Ever since Rex had rescued Kyran from that desolate transit town, he had perceived himself as nothing but a liability.

Shifting his mindset from terminating lesser Supernaturals to eliminating wicked individuals proved to be a challenging transition, one he could not navigate seamlessly. It demanded considerable time and effort. And in the process, he accumulated increasingly significant burdens that weighed Rex down.

Kyran did not dispute that he required the most time to mature.

Taking the longest to become truly beneficial to Rex.

Eventually, he managed to reverse his fortunes and even earned Rex’s confidence.

He ascended to the position of his right-hand man.

The individual entrusted with the more morally ambiguous aspects of Rex’s directives. Someone Rex could rely on to execute tasks without question. A person who grasped the necessity of the darkness that Rex held as a tenet. This was the role assigned to him.

And he embraced it willingly.

From that point forward, he vowed to Rex and himself that he would cease being a burden.

He would no longer commit a grave error that could result in devastating consequences for Rex.

Yet, he had failed to honor that pledge.

Ngoong—!

A sudden surge of power propelled Kyran backward, halting him before he could even make contact with the barrier. It was imperceptible to sight and undetectable by most senses—he only registered its presence when he placed his hand against the dome that enveloped Verrathen Canyon like a celestial casing.

Kyran’s face paled considerably.

"No..." A faint utterance escaped his lips as his strength ebbed away. "No, this cannot be happening to me."

It had never been his intention to abandon the battlefield.

Never his intention to be separated from Evelyn’s side.

Not long ago, he had become careless, losing all composure when Naela was nearly lost. It was entirely his fault, or at least, he held himself accountable for it. He felt ashamed that Rex had to personally intervene to rescue him from his rage and restore his equilibrium.

Back then, a pledge between the two was made.

Regardless of what transpired in the future, they vowed to safeguard those dear to them.

Should one be absent, the other would shoulder the duty of protection.

Precisely as he had wished, he finally attained sufficient strength for Rex to entrust him with the responsibility of protecting the others. It felt like a dream realized, marking one of the most joyful occasions of his entire existence, though he did not outwardly display it.

However, he faltered.

Even aware of Rex's absence, he made the choice to return and check on Naela.

Consequently, he was not present to shield Adhara, Evelyn, and Gistella.

He failed to be their bulwark, a role Rex would undoubtedly have filled if Naela had ever faced peril.

"No, no, no!"

Kyran underwent a transformation and charged forward.

Moonlight energy—along with mana—surged through his body, solidifying into his claws as he hurled them with all his might against the invisible barrier. The impact exploded, showering dark ice. Jagged icicles and sharp fragments scattered outwards, carrying not a wintry chill, but the searing heat capable of reducing anything to ash.

None of it breached the defense.

The projectiles simply dissolved into the intangible barrier, vanishing without a trace.

Even with his bloodline and current might, penetrating the barrier proved impossible.

Yet, he persisted.

Bam—!

"Please, don't do this..."

Bam—!

"They're all right. They should all be fine. Please!"

Bam—!

"I made one error. JUST ONE!!"

Kyran relentlessly struck the unyielding barrier.

His claws impacted with such ferocity that they nearly detached from his fingertips, yet this did not deter him.

Throughout the conflict against the rebel forces of the Scarlet Banes Kingdom, Kyran had executed every task flawlessly. He adhered strictly to Evelyn's directives without deviation. Never did he waver. Where her commands concluded or were inadequate, he implemented his own strategic adjustments.

These were subtle maneuvers she never needed to be privy to.

Actions designed to aid her in achieving her objectives without burdening her conscience.

Thus facilitating the swifter subjugation of the Alpha Primes by the Clarentium Empire.

It wasn't a complete abandonment of Evelyn's strategy, nor was it strict adherence.

It occupied a space precisely between the two extremes.

Rex would have approved of this approach.

Undertaking the less savory tasks discreetly, allowing Evelyn to claim all the accolades as Empress Luna.

But a single misstep undid everything. He inadvertently overheard Gelmar and Vivian informing Evelyn that the same Angel had visited Naela once more, triggering a wave of panic. Considering that those two had accompanied the Queen of the Dark Elves to relay this information to Evelyn, and that their report did not begin with Naela's demise, he should have inferred she was unharmed.

Injured, perhaps. But alive.

There had been no necessity for him to rush back as he had.

If he possessed the ability to reverse time, he would not have acted so rashly.

And now, as if fate itself waited for his mistakes, this predicament arose.

His absence created an opening for misfortune to insinuate itself and afflict the others.

Clang—!

An arrow narrowly missed Kyran's head, striking the barrier.

Kyran's eyes widened in alarm. He sharply turned his head to find Naela clutching a bow, channeling energy through her grievously wounded body. Her face was deathly pale, her stance unsteady as she could barely remain upright due to her stolen rib.

Nevertheless, she still attempted to assist.

"Naela..." Kyran uttered. "Don—"

"What?!" Her voice cracked like a lash, her eyes blazing with an intensity Kyran had never witnessed. "Don't what, Kyran?! You're concerned about me when we have no idea how they are faring inside? They could be dead, for all we know! How will we face Rex if something befalls them?

"Tell me. How will you account for their deaths to him?!" she shrieked.

That solitary cry caused her to groan and collapse onto one knee.

An agonizing pain shot through her abdomen.

"I acknowledge my error—but cease this behavior. It has already occurred. It belongs to the past. Let us concentrate on discovering a method to breach this barrier," Kyran reverted to his human form, attempting to pacify her. "We can still take action."

"Mother of Dark Nature..." Naela whispered, tears streaming down her face. "Do you comprehend how this reflects upon me? My people are already on the verge of extinction. If Rex learns that I was the cause of your abandonment of your post, what do you imagine the consequences will be?"

"Do not speak of it. He will not act against you. Moreover, I am here, and I will prevent such an outcome."

"Truly? You would defy Rex for my sake?"

Kyran's tongue felt heavy.

He observed more tears tracing paths down Naela's cheeks as she posed the question.

It was only then that he grasped the gravity of his unintended words.

Naela found no solace in Kyran's words; instead, they weighed heavily on her heart, solidifying her belief that she had been nothing but a detrimental influence on him. The idea of opposing Rex, a figure Kyran trusted immensely, should never have entered Kyran’s mind.

Yet, here he was, voicing his intention to stop Rex if necessary.

All because of her.

Tears streamed down Naela's face as she wept harder, the situation unfolding far beyond her expectations.

Just as Kyran considered retracting his statement, the ground beneath his feet began to tremble.

He glanced back at the unchanging, impassive barrier. Though it appeared the same, the surrounding air swirled with ferocious energy. A sudden gust of wind followed, accompanied by a deafening tearing sound originating from the other side.

Kyran, holding Naela, moved towards the source of the commotion.

Ascending a vantage point atop the deep-hued ice, he looked ahead and witnessed the barrier beginning to fracture and open.

It was ripping apart the dimensional fabric, forcing entry despite the world’s energetic resistance.

"What exactly are we facing..." he murmured to himself.

At that precise moment, the collective roars of thousands echoed through the air. Kyran’s pupils widened in alarm as he observed a horde pouring forth from the other side – crimson wolves with matted, bleeding fur, each radiating a terrifying aura.

Every single one of them was at the ninth-rank realm.

Some even emanated a power that surpassed that level.

"It's the Blood Moon...?" Kyran breathed, astonished. He hadn't anticipated the deities overseeing the werewolf race would intervene in this conflict. "Rex's birth moon is the Blood Moon, and he's always harbored deep animosity towards it. Now that he's absent, it chooses to attack?"

Kyran gently set Naela down and underwent his transformation once more, preparing to breach the barrier and investigate its interior.

"I'm going with you!" Naela insisted.

"No," Kyran refused firmly. "Remain here and fend for yourself. Hide."

"No! I want to see wh—"

"STAY. BACK."

Without uttering another word, Kyran launched himself forward, hurtling directly into the dimensional rift.